Premonitions
by the lurker
Summary: The air in Dodge is slightly eery, although Matt, Doc and Kitty are at a loss to explain the irrationality of what's driving them.
1. Chapter 1

GUNSMOKE

"Premonitions"

Kitty wrapped the shawl tighter around her shoulders as she tried to suppress a shiver. Fall had been slow to insinuate itself, but she noted that the air was becoming crisper at sunset, and the smell of burning wood stoves was beginning to fill the air. She picked up her pace as she crossed the street, the last remnant of sunlight sinking quickly below the horizon. As she put her foot on the boardwalk to step up in front of the Longbranch, an overwhelming sense of irrational fear enveloped her, stopping her cold. The deep voice from behind startled her tremendously.

"Kitty? Is somethin' wrong?"

She shook off the odd feeling, stepped up onto the boardwalk and turned to face the marshal.

"No, Matt, no...nothing's wrong."

He frowned as he stepped up next to her, putting a protective arm around her shoulders.

"You sure? You seemed a bit spooked a second ago."

She smiled weakly at him. "Everything's fine, really." She changed the subject. "Can I buy you a beer?"

He grinned at her. "Sure..."

The big man followed her through the batwing doors, unaware of his companion's continuing sense that something was very wrong.

* * *

Doc lit a lantern, and a soft glow illumined his office. He rubbed his hands together to warm them, and realized it had grown quite cold in his room. He opened the belly of the wood stove, and tossed in a few pieces of kindling. He ignited it and a few minutes later the heat began to envelope him. He sat at his desk and opened a medical book, preparing to catch up on some long-neglected reading, but an awful sentiment pushed itself into his psyche. Doc shivered as the foreboding feeling crept over him. Instinctively, he looked around his room, and everything was as it should be. He pulled his glasses off his face, and walked over to the window, separating the curtains to peer outside; but everything on the street looked normal. Doc shook his head at himself and sat back down at his desk.

But the impression persisted. He stood, slid his hands in the pockets of his pants and began pacing, unable to shake the sensation that something awful was about to happen, despite any evidence to the contrary. And Doc Adams shivered again, knowing it had nothing to do with the onset of fall.


	2. Chapter 2

Matt gently shook the lock on the door of the express office, and was satisfied that it was shut tight. He moved on to the general store, the bank, and Delmonico's, and all of them were secure. And that certainly didn't explain the funny feeling he had in the pit of his stomach, nor the hairs prickling the back of his neck. He looked around Front Street, but it was completely quiet. And yet there was no explanation for his well-honed sixth sense alerting him to trouble that didn't seem to be anywhere. Yet there was something amiss: Marshal Matt Dillon would stake his life on that sense of knowing.

* * *

Festus gently spurred his mule into a slightly quicker pace. He hadn't anticipated the sudden chill in the night air, but fall had arrived. If he pushed a little harder, he figured he could pull into Dodge by the wee hours.

"Come on, Ruth, let's get a move on there."

The mule picked up his pace slightly, but nothing would be fast enough for Haggen; at least not on this night. He couldn't explain it, but he had the oddest squiggledy feeling scrambling up his insides. He glanced around the pitch-black of the prairie, eerily illumined by the full moon, and he shivered. It was silly, he knew, and yet he couldn't keep the childhood stories told around the fire when he was little from crawling into his mind. Visions of goblins, ghosts and evil demons floated through his mind, and Festus tried hard to shake himself of the ill-begotten notion that something terrible was about to happen. He knew it was ridiculous, but he couldn't convince his insides to stop shaking like jelly.

He spurred Ruth harder still, and the mule began to canter. Festus couldn't clear the awful feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he pushed in on Ruth's sides with his legs, encouraging yet more speed from the mule. Ruth broke into a run, and for a moment Haggen felt slightly calmer. But it only lasted until Ruth missed his footing, hitting a rock on the trail. Festus felt the animal going down, and tried to jump free, but his spur caught on the stirrup. Ruth tumbled forward, kicking Festus hard in the midsection as he went down. The deputy's head smashed into a boulder, and the large mule rolled on top of him, fighting to right himself. Once again standing erect, and completely spooked, Ruth ran a ways further, dragging Festus behind him.

Finally the spur came unhinged, releasing Festus from the unwanted ride. And Ruth never even slowed down, leaving the deputy broken and unconscious in the underbrush of the prairie.


	3. Chapter 3

He continued to toss and turn until he couldn't stand it anymore. Angrily tossing the sheets back, Doc rose and padded into the outer office, noting how damned cold it had grown in his room. After lighting a lantern, he added wood to the stove and looked at the pocketwatch lying on his desk: it was well after three in the morning. A wind had risen during the course of the night, and it howled against the building, sending a draft through his office. Adams shivered as he turned to go back into his bedroom; there was no point in staying in his nightshirt, it was obvious sleep would continue to evade him. Doc put his clothes on, and then put a pot of coffee on the stove.

He started a moment later when he heard a soft knock on his door. He opened it to find Kitty standing there, wrapped in a shawl.

"Kitty...is something wrong?"

Her blue eyes seemed troubled, but she shook her head. "Not exactly, Doc. I'm sorry about the lateness of the hour, but I saw your light on..."

He held out his hand to her, and gently pulled her in through the door. "I can't sleep either. Come in and get warm."

Doc pulled out a chair for her near the wood stove, and Kitty sat in it, suppressing a shiver as she did so.

"You really cold, honey? I can get you blanket." She was about to decline the offer, but her hesitation spoke louder, and he continued. "You just stay right there..."

A moment later he wrapped her in a blanket from his bed, and sat down next to her.

"Coffee smells good, Doc."

"It'll be ready in just a minute."

They stared at each other for a moment, the awkward sense of foreboding overtaking the air in the room. Kitty frowned and looked down at her hands. The old man watched her carefully until she finally spoke.

"Doc...I...I've got this terrible feeling...I can't explain it, and I can't shake it. It's just there."

His voice was soft, "Kinda like something bad's gonna happen, and you can't do nothin' to stop it."

She looked up at him sharply. "That's it exactly."

The pale blue eyes stared into the brighter ones. "It's been gnawin' at me all night."

"Are we just goin' round the bend, Doc?"

He smiled lightly at her. "I hope so, Kitty. I'd hate to think we're feelin' this way for a reason ya know."

He poured her a steaming cup of coffee and one for himself. "That'll warm you right up."

Her voice held a slight quiver in it, even though she bit down on her lip, "When's Festus due back?"

The old doctor swallowed hard, the uncomfortable feeling in his belly surging with the mention of Haggen's name. "I think tomorrow, Kitty, but I ain't sure."

Sensing that she struck a nerve, Kitty's brow furrowed. "We're both feelin' it, Doc. It has to be real." Doc simply nodded, and they sat in silence for a few moments. Kitty placed a soft hand on his forearm, and his eyes darted up to hers. "I know it seems silly, but let's go get Matt."

"It's the middle of the night, honey..."

"Doc...this just doesn't feel right, and I'm scared."

The old man looked at the floor, his voice soft. "I know."

The knock on the door made both of them start. Doc got up and opened the door, walking away to make room for the large man.

"Come on in, Matt, we were just talking about you..."

"We?" The marshall looked at Russell. "Kitty...what are you doing here?"

"The same thing you are, I imagine. None of us can sleep."

Matt leaned against the wall, his hands resting on his gunbelt. "I've had the oddest feeling all night long. It's like I'm just waiting for something to happen."

Doc heaved a sigh and sat in his chair. "Might as well pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee. I doubt any of us is going to be able to get any sleep tonight."

There was a palpable tension hovering in the room with them, and after several minutes of unbearable silence, Kitty could no longer take it.

"I can't stand this. We have to do something."

Matt looked at her. "Do something about what? Nothing's happened."

She looked sharply at him. "That's where you're wrong, Matt. _Something_ has happened. I can feel it; so can you." She looked at Adams. "Doc..."

The old man looked at the marshal. "Matt...when's Festus due back?"

The wind whipped hard outside, suddenly howling loudly against the windows, eking through enough to blow out Doc's lantern. Kitty's sharp intake of breath caused Adams to grab her hand in his, tightly holding it. Instinctively Matt drew his gun, but then felt silly that he had done so. He holstered it and leaned over to re-light the lantern, once again illuminating the room. Matt stared hard at Adams.

"Why did you bring up Festus?"

The old man shrugged. "I don't know really. Guess I just can't get him out of my mind."

"Neither can I," Kitty added quickly.

Matt stared hard at them, then leaned back against the wall. "That makes three of us." He looked at Doc. "He's due back tomorrow morning."

The old man frowned. "We can't wait, Matt."

The marshal looked at him. "I know."


	4. Chapter 4

The argument had taken almost half an hour, but the old man won out. Matt hitched a team to a wagon and watched quietly as Doc threw blankets and his black bag into the back. Kitty took Doc's hands in hers.

"Bring him back, Doc...please."

The old doctor exchanged a look with the marshal, then pat Kitty's hands gently. "No matter what, Kitty, we'll bring him home."

Without another word, Adams stepped up onto the buckboard, and a moment later, the two men headed out, not knowing how or where to look, nor what they might find; only knowing that they must try.

* * *

Festus tried to move, and was rewarded with a blinding pain in his middle that almost rendered him unconscious. He lie still for a few minutes, allowing his screaming nerve endings a little time to recover. He had to think to remember what had happened, then he carefully looked around for Ruth, but there was no sign of the mule. Haggen glanced down at his leg, and felt nauseous at the sight of the bone protruding at an odd angle out from his upper thigh. He took a deep breath and once again tried to sit up, but the agony only made him scream. Festus lie still, panting heavily from the pain, and knowing in his heart that without help, he'd be dead in a few short hours.

Closing his eyes, Festus said a few words to the Almighty: not for himself, but for the three people he loved the most in the world.


	5. Chapter 5

Kitty sat alone in the Long Branch, nursing a brandy. Matt and Doc had been gone for close to three hours, and it was nearing sunrise. She stifled a long yawn, and stretched her neck. She closed her eyes for a moment, leaning her head into her hands; it had been a long night. Kitty shivered involuntarily, and was suddenly aware that she wasn't alone. Her eyes snapped open, and she quickly looked about the room, only to find that no one was there. She shook her head at herself and the tricks her mind was playing on her. A moment later, she jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked, but once again, there was no one with her. Kitty looked into the deep amber color of her brandy and wondered if it was causing her to hallucinate.

_Festus._ In some way that she couldn't understand, he was at the crux of the unease that each of them had felt. And she couldn't honestly deny that she had felt Festus with her, even though it was impossible.

* * *

Matt glanced over at Doc, but the old man was still staring straight ahead in front of him, as he'd been doing since they had left Dodge. Not a single word had passed between them, and Dillon was beginning to feel the tension between them. He cleared his throat, but Doc didn't seem to notice. He waited another few minutes, and then finally spoke.

"You're awfully quiet, Doc."

"That so?"

"Yeah, it is."

Doc glanced over at Dillon. "Lot on my mind I guess..."

"We'll find him, Doc."

Adams couldn't mask the emotion in his voice, "I can't shake this, Matt."

Dillon sighed and looked ahead. "Me neither." Matt looked again at Adams. "What bothers me is the irrationality of it all."

Adams turned to look at the sun which was just peeking out over the horizon. "Ain't nothin' logical about feelin's like this, no sir."

"He wasn't even due back until tomorrow."

Doc's voice was laden with anxiety, "We've gotta find him now, Matt. Tomorrow'd just be too late."

Matt pulled the reins up on the horses, and stared at the doctor. "Calm down, Doc. We don't even know if anything's wrong."

The old man's voice grew more intense, "Confound it, Matt, there is somethin' wrong! Festus needs us..." His voice grew quiet, "I can't explain how I know it, but..." He made a fist in front of his belly, "deep down in here, I know it."

Matt swallowed hard and nodded. The marshal slapped the reins on the rears of the horses and once again, they were moving forward.

* * *

Festus awoke as the sun began to rise, casting light across one side of his face. He moaned in deep pain. He figured his right thigh was shattered, and he was pretty sure most of his ribs were splintered. Slowly, he reached a hand up to his throbbing head, and felt blood. He shivered hard, and wished he at least had a bottle of whiskey to ease the inevitable. Matt wouldn't miss him until at least the evening, and surely no one would come looking for him so soon. The deputy wondered why such a fate would befall him. He hated the idea of dying alone.

"Damned ol' mule..."

He coughed slightly, and the motion sent waves of agony through his broken ribs. He cried out in pain, but there wasn't so much as a prairie dog nearby to hear him.


	6. Chapter 6

"Matt! Over there!"

"That looks like Ruth!"

Dillon pointed the wagon in the direction of the grazing mule, and stopped several feet away, so as not to spook the jack. He climbed down, collecting the mule's reins in his hand, and he tied Ruth to the back of the wagon. Together with Doc, the marshal began following the mule tracks back in the direction he had come. He just hoped they weren't too late.

* * *

Doc continued to strain his eyes scanning the prairie for any sign of Festus, but there had been nothing for miles.

"You sure you've got the right tracks?"

Dillon glared at his old friend, but recognizing that Doc's worry was getting the best of him, stifled a biting response. "Yes Doc, I'm sure I've got the right tracks."

"We've come half way across Kansas, and we haven't--"

"--Festus!"

Matt slapped the reins hard and the horses took off at a run, coming to an abrupt stop a few feet from his deputy. Doc practically jumped off the buckboard, grabbed his bag and some blankets and took off at the closest thing to a run that he could muster, with Dillon right on his heels. Doc knelt next to Festus and gently examined the wound on his forehead.

"Doc?"

"Don't know yet, Matt..."

"His leg looks bad."

Adams reached down to Haggen's leg, probing it as carefully as he could. Festus screamed in agony. Adams put a calming hand on the man's forehead.

"Easy ol' boy..."

Haggen cried with pain, "Doc...my leg, Doc..."

Adams brushed a soothing hand over Haggen's brow. "You just lie still and let ol' Doc take care of you." He turned to Dillon. "Matt, we've got to stabilize this leg before we can move him, can you find me a branch or stick, something straight and sturdy?"

"Sure can Doc."

Dillon moved away, searching the ground for a makeshift splint, and Adams continued his examination of the deputy. He ran his hands slowly and gently down Haggen's chest and Festus cried out in distress. As carefully as he could he checked his friend's ribs and much to his dismay, discovered that most of them were broken, probably splintered.

"Oh Festus..."

Haggen clutched at the old doctor's jacket sleeve, his voice a slight whisper, "Doc...I ain't never hurt like this afore..."

Afraid his voice would betray his emotions, Adams wordlessly reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of laudanum. Gently he lifted Haggen's head and poured a small amount of the liquid into his mouth. He put the bottle away, cleaned the wound on Haggen's head, and then covered him with a blanket. Matt came back carrying a large branch, and Doc rose, meeting him halfway. Dillon frowned.

"Doc?"

"It's bad, Matt." The old man shook his head, trying to cover his own fear. "It's real bad."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know if we should move him."

Dillon looked at Adams as if the man had gone crazy. "Well we can't leave him out here..."

Doc's tone was biting, "I know that for corn sake, it's just--"

When the doctor didn't continue, the marshal prompted him. "It's just what?"

"Matt, he's broken up somethin' terrible. There ain't a rib that hasn't splintered, and his leg...I don't even know that I can fix that."

"Well you sure can't if we don't get him outta here."

"You don't understand, Matt. Ridin' in that buckboard's gonna be pure agony; I don't think he can survive it."

"Festus is one of the toughest men I've ever known."

Adams put a hand on Dillon's arm. "It ain't a question of tough, Matt. There's only so much pain and trauma the human body can take, and by haulin' him on that thing to Dodge, we're going to be putting his through pure hell."

Matt pushed the tip of his hat back slightly and stared hard into Doc's eyes. He could see the old man's fear, and he felt it land in the pit of his own stomach. He put a soft hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You and I both know there's no choice, Doc."

Adams swallowed hard and looked down at the dirt. "We can't lose him, Matt. We just can't..."

He looked up at the tall marshal and added, "Kitty'd never forgive us..."

Grabbing the branch from Dillon's hand, the old doctor turned abruptly and walked back to his patient. Matt pursed his lips; if Festus died on the way in it was going to be hard on all of them, but it would rip Doc to shreds for sure.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam poured another cup of coffee. "Try not to worry, Miss Kitty."

She smiled weakly up at the bartender. "Can't really help it, Sam."

He nodded and walked back to the bar, leaving her to her thoughts. She shivered slightly as the sensation of disaster tore at her. Doc and Matt had been gone all day and into the night; if they had found Festus, they would have come back by now. She stared into the depths of the dark liquid in the white and blue cup and shoved down her rising tears. Maybe she was just tired and that was why it felt like her world was about to end. She felt the touch of a comforting hand, and looked up expecting to see Sam, but he was still over at the bar, and there was no one near her table. Kitty stood up abruptly, fear filling her, and Sam quickly walked over.

"Miss Kitty, what's wrong?"

She tried to keep the quiver from her voice, "I...I don't know, Sam. Nothing, I guess." She tried to smile lightly at him. "I'm just a little spooked is all."

Sam looked at her, concern on his face. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Yeah... listen, let's call it a night, there aren't too many people in here anyway, and I don't know about you, but I could use some sleep."

"Whatever you say, ma'am."

Sam began closing things up, as the customers started leaving. Kitty cleaned away her coffee cup, and helped Sam with the rest of his chores. When they were finished, Kitty walked him to the doors, and he turned to look at her.

"Miss Kitty, if you need anything, you'll let me know, won't you?"

She pat his arm. "Of course, Sam, and I thank you for being such a good friend."

He put his hat on and nodded at her. She watched him walk down the boardwalk, and then she closed the doors to the saloon, blowing out the lanterns as she moved toward the stairs. As she started up the steps, she thought she heard a man cry out in agony, and she turned her breath catching in her throat. Frightened, Kitty ran up the rest of the stairs, and entered her room, closing and locking the door behind her. For a long moment, she stood leaning against the back of the door, her arms wrapped around herself, trembling. But she didn't hear so much as a wooden board creek, and decided she must have imagined all of it.

As she prepared herself for bed, she sighed: Matt and Doc wouldn't be back soon enough, and she prayed that Festus would be with them.


	8. Chapter 8

The buckboard rolled over a rock that Matt couldn't see in the dark, and Festus screamed in pain.

"Damnit Matt!"

Dillon pulled up on the reins and turned to the doctor. "I didn't do it on purpose, Doc...it's just too dark to see."

Matt jumped down from the seat and stood next to where Doc was leaning against the backboard, holding Festus gently up against him. Dillon watched silently as the old man tried in vain to comfort the distressed deputy. Doc kept his left hand on Haggen's forehead, and his right arm wrapped around the man's stomach, effectively holding Festus down against him as he spoke softly into the deputy's ear.

"I know you're hurtin' Festus, but I need you to lie as still as you can. You just lean on me and that'll help."

The only sound coming from Haggen was a tormented whimper, and Matt swallowed hard trying to keep the contents in his stomach from rolling up. He looked at Doc until the physician met his gaze.

His voice was soft, almost defeated, "What should we do, Doc?"

He couldn't see the old man's facial expression in what little moonlight there was, but the barely contained anger in his voice was unmistakable. "We're stayin' put until daybreak. You can't see any of the bumps in the road and Festus just can't take much more of bein' jostled around in the dark."

Dillon kept the hurt from his tone, "I thought we'd be able to make better time."

The old man's timbre was brittle, "And I told you the danger several hours ago."

The marshal couldn't keep the guilt from his voice, "Is he worse?"

"Well he ain't no better for it..." Doc swallowed hard and his tone softened, "I'm sorry, Matt, this isn't your fault." He looked into the tall man's wet eyes and felt the water of his own. "I'm afraid I'm just not as detached as a doctor's supposed to be..."

Dillon nodded. "I know that, Doc." He gently squeezed his friend's shoulder. "I'll set up a camp, and build a fire. It's gonna be a cold one tonight."

* * *

Doc had barely nodded off when the soft cries jarred him awake. He sat up and moved closer to Festus, placing a gentle hand across the man's brow.

"Shhh, easy Festus."

Haggen couldn't keep the tears of agony from spilling down his cheeks. "Doc," he cried, "my leg Doc, I can't take this no more." He grabbed at Doc's coat, his cries deepening, "Please, Doc... do somethin'..."

With no strength left to hold down his own emotions, Adams moved closer to the deputy, softly brushing his hand through Haggen's hair. "I'm sorry ol' boy, I've given you all the laudanum you can take right now. Any more, and it could kill ya."

"I don't care none, Doc." His voice dropped to a pained whisper, "If'n I was a horse with a leg like this, you'd shoot me ta put me outta my misery. Doc, please..."

His hand shaking, Doc reached toward his black bag. He was startled when the large hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"Doc..." Adams looked into Dillon's eyes, and the marshal could see the torment in the pale blue staring at him. He let go of Doc's hand, and the man pulled out a bottle of ether. Matt's voice was apologetic, "I'm sorry, Doc, I thought--"

"--Yes, I know what you thought."

Adams turned toward Festus and pulled out his own handkerchief.

"You just calm down, Festus, I'm gonna knock you out with some ether."

Tears fell fast down Haggen's face and Matt had to look away. Doc poured some ether on his handkerchief, and held it over Haggen's nose and mouth with one hand, soothingly brushing his hand across his friend's brow with the other. Within a few brief moments, Festus was thankfully unconscious, no longer aware of the agony his body was in. Doc stood, and turned to Matt, anger lighting his eyes.

"How could you think for even one minute that I could harm one hair on his head? What's gotten into you?"

Dillon had to avert his eyes. "Doc, I didn't mean it like that, and you know it."

Adams swiped a hand across his mustache and chin, trying to calm down. "Well exactly how in the hell did you mean it then?"

Matt looked straight at Adams. "I know how you feel about Festus, Doc. I know how hard this is for ya."

"So you just thought I'd put him out of his misery?"

Dillon put a gentle hand on Adams' shoulder. "No...it's just..."

Matt's voice dropped away as did his large hand, and Adams understood.

"It's not easy for either one of us, Matt, but remember, it's a lot harder on him, and I'm not going to let him give up on himself." He looked into Dillon's eyes. "At least not yet. Now come on, I'm tired, let's get some sleep."

Dillon nodded, his voice soft, "We'll leave at first light tomorrow, and we should be in Dodge by nightfall."


	9. Chapter 9

Kitty ran her hand through Doc's hair as she handed him a steaming cup of coffee.

"You look tired, Doc."

"A little bit, honey," he agreed.

She nodded toward the unconscious man in the bed. "How's he doin'?"

Doc shrugged tiredly, "Don't really know, Kitty. He made it through the surgery, but I can't say how his leg's gonna hold up."

She allowed her hand to continue gently ruffling his salt and pepper strands. "Why don't you go lie down for awhile and let me spell you?"

He shook his head. "No, no, that's all right, Kitty. He's still mighty fragile, and I don't want to leave him." He looked up at her, "I'll be fine, don't you worry."

"How about I just stay here with you for a little while then?"

Doc knew what she was up to, but her soft comfort won out as he leaned into her attention.

"You always get your way with me eventually, don't you?"

"Now Doc, I just don't want you gettin' so tired that you're no good to Festus, yourself or anybody else." She rubbed her hand across his shoulders. "You go lie down and get some sleep, and I'll stay with him." He stared at her without moving for a minute, and she continued, "I promise if he stirs even the slightest bit, I'll come get you."

Slowly Doc stood, kissed Kitty on the cheek, laid a gentle hand on Haggen's head for a moment, then quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

She gently shook the old doctor's shoulder. "Doc, come on, wake up."

He was groggy at first, and then jerked himself awake. "Something wrong with Festus?"

She stroked his forehead. "No, Doc, take it easy. He's just stirring slightly is all."

Kitty helped the old man up and they went into the back bedroom. Festus was groaning in his sleep. Doc sat on the edge of the bed and put a soft hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Festus? Can you hear me ol' boy?"

After a moment or so, the deputy stirred further. "Doc?"

Adams smiled as the man opened his eyes. "Yeah, it's Doc."

Festus moaned in pain. "My whole body hurts, Doc."

"You've got enough broken bones that you'd fall apart if you tried to stand." Adams held Haggen's wrist checking his pulse. "How's your leg feel, Festus?"

"Burns like it's on fire, Doc."

Adams pulled back the blanket and carefully examined the bandaged leg. "Still pretty swollen, ol' boy. It's gonna be awhile before it stops throbbing." He ran his hands over Haggen's broken ribs and Festus winced, then tried to sit up and Doc gently restrained him. "No Festus. You need rest, and lots of it. You're gonna just stay in this bed for at least six weeks."

Kitty took one of Haggen's hands in hers. "We've been awfully worried about you, Festus. Even Doc's been frettin'..."

Haggen looked at the doctor. "Is it that bad, Doc?"

Adams' eyes misted over slightly. "Pretty bad, Festus."

He looked from Doc to Miss Kitty, suddenly feeling like he was missing something. "Doc, am I gonna be all right?"

Adams pulled the blanket back up, tucking the man in. "Yes, Festus, you're gonna be fine...but

...but I don't know about..."

"You don't know 'bout whut, Doc?"

Doc's eyes filled with emotion and he shook his head. Kitty placed a soft hand on his shoulder, then sat down next to him on the bed, taking a hold of Haggen's hand.

"Festus, your leg's in pretty bad shape."

Haggen swallowed hard. "Doc? Am I gonna be able to walk again?"

Doc laid a gentle hand on Haggen's arm. "I don't know, ol' boy, I just don't know. The femur was shattered, and your thigh bone...well, it was broken so badly I had to do surgery to try and set it. I've never tried to fix one this bad before, and I just don't know..."

Sensing that Doc was on the verge of losing it, Haggen smiled at him. "Doc, I know you done yore best, and that's all any feller could ask. Don't be sad or nuthin'..."

Unable to take the emotional onslaught, Doc abruptly left the room. Kitty held onto Haggen's hand. "Don't worry about Doc, you know how he is about showin' his feelings." The deputy's eyes fluttered slightly, and Kitty brushed his cheek with her hand. "You need rest, partner, so just close your eyes. One of us will be right here with you."

His voice was sleepy as his eyes slipped closed. "Obliged Miss Kitty..."

* * *

"Are you sure it's not too soon for him to try this, Doc?"

Adams glared at Dillon. "You plannin' on startin' a medical practice now are ya?"

"Doc..."

The old man swiped his hand across the lower half of his face. "We have to let him try sooner or later, Matt. It's going to be painful, and we might find out that the leg is useless, but we can't protect him from it forever."

Matt followed Doc into the back bedroom of his office, where Festus was sitting up with his legs dangling over the side of the bed.

"You ready to give this a try, you old mule?"

"As ready as I'll ever be I 'spose." He looked at the two men, and then into the outer room. "Miss Kitty ain't coming by?"

Doc and Matt exchanged a look, then Matt answered. "We thought it might be better if it was just us fellas."

The reality of the odds against him slammed hard into Haggen's gut, and he looked down, his voice soft. "I git yore meanin', Matthew. 'Spose it'd be better if Miss Kitty don't see it."

Doc pat the deputy's shoulder. "Now come on, Festus, don't assume the worst."

Haggen looked up sharply. "Ain't that what yore doin', Doc?"

Adams swallowed hard, and looked away. After a moment he gently pat Haggen's cheek.

"I...I just don't want you to be disappointed, Festus."

"Well, we ain't never gonna know if I don't try this..."

Doc took one arm, and Matt the other, and they gently lifted Haggen up to a standing position. Festus tried to put weight on the leg, but winced in pain. Adams pat the man's back.

"Easy, Festus, it's bound to hurt some."

"Felt like fire shootin' up my leg, Doc."

"Okay, that's okay. I want you to try it again."

Haggen put some weight on the leg and grit his teeth, leaving it there. "Hurts pretty bad..."

Doc squeezed the arm in his hand. "We've gotcha, Festus, and we're not gonna letcha fall. Just try and take a step."

Haggen leaned on the patched leg and howled in pain, Doc and Matt taking the slack of his weight upon themselves.

"Let's put him back on the bed, Matt, it's too much too soon."

"No, Doc," Festus said, gritting his teeth harder. "Lemme try it agin..."

"Festus, listen to Doc, it's too soon, you're in too much pain."

He shook his head. "No Matthew, let's find out now if I'm still gonna be fit to be a deputy, or if you have ta find somebody else."

Matt squeezed his deputy's arm. "Now you listen to me, either way, you will always have a job with me, Festus."

Haggen once again put weight on his leg and took a step, the pain bathing his forehead in sweat. He took a deep breath and tried it again. When he started for a third, Doc held him back.

"That's enough, Festus." He looked at the marshal. "Help me get him back in bed."

The two men gently guided the exhausted deputy back onto the bed, pulling the blanket back over him. Festus could barely keep his eyes open. Doc pat his hand.

"You take a nap, ol' boy, that was more than enough work for you for one day."

Haggen's voice held sleep in it, "Hurt like a son of gun, Doc. Real stiff too. Is it always gonna be like that?"

Adams rubbed the hand under his own. "I don't think so, Festus. Now you get some sleep, you hear me?"

Haggen's head nodded slightly and his eyes closed. Matt followed Doc out into the other room.

"Well?"

"Can't be a hundred percent sure, Matt, but the fact that he could take a couple of steps already is a good sign. A real good sign."

The door to Doc's office opened, and Kitty walked in. "I know you two didn't want me over here, but I just can't stand being cooped up over in the Longbranch."

Matt smiled at her. "He took a couple of steps, Kitty."

"Doc, does that mean...?"

"It means that with a lot of time and some hard work, Festus should be just fine, honey." Holding back tears, the doctor looked at the bedroom door and whispered to himself, "He'll be just fine."

The End


End file.
